We're Walking Right Down the Middle of Main Street USA...

I’m feeling pretty excited. I submitted a budget for our “Disney College Program Alumni Association” club and if we get it approved, we will be able to have a Disney Movie Night at our school where we will screen a Disney movie, play Disney trivia, and donate all proceeds to the Make a Wish foundation. The gears are turning.


Today I present you with three reminders that will hopefully help you during your College Program. These were just a couple things that we covered when we were talking about the actual work aspect of the program during our past Offer Session. I pulled these out specifically because I really think they were a good representation of, at least, my time in the program. Enjoy!

Always Keep Your Cool- Although Disney World is the place where dreams come true, you will face some of your worst nightmares at work. You will face kids who can’t seem to hold their lunches, rides breaking down, or guests who (for whatever reason) seem to complain about everything. And it is up to you to keep the pixie dust flowing and the wheels of magic turning. You have to be able to brush off the little (or really big) things that happen because when, let’s say a guest slips and injures themselves, the last thing they and guests around them want to see is you screaming and barking orders while running around panicking. Breathe, remember your code words (i.e. Alpha Unit and Protein Spill), and handle the situation with the coolness of Dean Martin (man I have to get less dated references).

Remember there is only one Mickey Mouse- It’s pretty self explanatory. Most guests come to Disney World and immediately buy into the Magic that Disney has to offer. There are however, those guests that, for whatever reason, want to know every little secret Disney has offer regardless of whether it ruins the magic or not. The prime example that they will give you is one of the favorite guest questions, “How many Mickey Mouses (Mickey Mice?) are there in all the parks at any given time?” And the answer plain and simple is….there’s only one Mickey. “Oh come on, I just came back from Animal Kingdom where I saw Mickey but then I came here to the Magic Kingdom and he’s sitting on a float in the parade. So tell me, if there’s only one Mickey then how do you explain that.” Well it’s obvious; he drove his car back here just in time for the parade. And this is just one example. You will hear every question from “What’s the deal with the cable coming from the castle into Tomorrowland? (Well Prince Charming needs his ESPN)” to “Be it true that everybody that works at the Magic Kingdom lives underground?” (Hand to God, someone asked me that once…..okay minus the Be it true, I just think that sounds more fancy) And it is up to you to “know” the answers to those questions at any given moment but remember, whatever you say is canon so yeah…

All it takes is one hug- Now I said a couple posts back that every day is going to be more magical than the next and that’s true….for the most part. But like every rule, there’s an exception and sometimes you will just have one of those days where it seems like everything just keeps piling on. Whether you are working attractions and your ride broke down and you have to tell all the guests that are in line that they have to turn around and leave. Or you are working custodial on Main Street after Wishes and the street is littered with stale popcorn and other miscellaneous pieces of trash. Some days might just flat out stink and there is no bright spot on the horizon. But then it happens. A random guest will say something like “Thank You for all that you do.” Or a little kid that you just gave a sticker to will hug you and all of a sudden you know that everything you had to deal with that day was worth it just to have that moment of appreciation.

Keep Moving Forward People……